Newyorkdebtresolution.com

Main menu

Post navigation

Ho Ho Ho, where did my good judgement go?

Underneath all of the bright lights and Yuletide joy during Christmas, the holidays tend to expose all that can potentially be bad and harmful about money and debt.

January and February are usually the months when you receive your credit card bill in the mail and there is nothing left to spend because the limits are at the max after all of that holiday gift giving.

So, the question is; what is it about the holidays that induce level-headed, budget conscious consumers to lose their minds and consequently the money in their wallets?

Well, everyone has a “relationship” with money whether you realize it or not. That feeling, trust, knowledge about, value system, hence relationship is cultivated during childhood. Perhaps you watched how your parents spent money, and how your peers spent money.

In today’s “keeping up with the jones'” society it’s easy to get caught up in the spending spree that coincides with the tradition of religious celebration and family bonding. Isn’t THAT what Christmas is supposed to symbolize?

Instead, Christmas means what family has the most decorative and expensive and flashy lighting display on the front lawn. Every car dealership has their showroom wrapped in red ribbons just waiting for someone to unnecessarily upgrade on a vehicle and over-extend themselves into another installment contract. And, of course every shopping mall in the country is packed to the gills with shoppers maxing out their high interest rate credit cards and overdrafts on their checking accounts to get the newest and latest electronic devices. See play station and iPhone.

Now, I don’t mean to be the Scrooge of the holidays but be aware of how much you are spending, stick to a well thought out budget, and don’t get caught up in the hype.